Revolving joint



mmh 2S, 195o F. ,WARD 2,5@265 A REVOLVING JOINT v l Filed March @,1946 z sneexsheet 1,

Mig/4% /V Q F. N. BARD REvoLvING JOINT 2 sheets-sheet 2 March 28,1950

Filed Marsh e; 194e Patented Mar. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REVOLVING JOINT Francis N. Bard, Highland Park, Ill.

ApplicationMarch 6, 1946, Serial No. 652,254

' (ci. 28s-1o) 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to conduit joints and more particularly to revolving joints incorporating adjustable means for misalignment of the parts connected by the joint.

Revolving joints of the type with which this application is concerned usually comprise two members telescopically joined together to form an inner movable member and an outer stationary member. Those members must be in substantially perfect alignment with the conduit sections connected by them in order to prevent excessive wear. In fact, unless the parts are substantially aligned, it is impossible to connect the parts. They, furthermore, must usually be assembled at points other than their place of manufacture, as they are normally employed as parts of a conduit system installed in a building or vehicle, and under such circumstances perfect alignment is diiiicult to obtain and much time is Wasted in connecting the parts. An object of the invention is to provide a revolving joint with an adjustable connection with one of the conduit sections so as to eliminate the effect of such misalignment and facilitate connecting the parts. Another difcult alignment problem arises in connection with joints for conduits leading to or from a revolving receptacle such as a drum. In such cases, the conduit must be connected to a tting located exactly in the axis of rotation of the receptacle and parallel therewith or excessive Wear occurs between the parts of the joint. Another object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a joint means for compensating for misalignment due to cti-center location or improper installation of such ttings.

Further objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a joint embodying the present inventions, the end of a revolving receptacle with which such joint is associated being partialy shown in se'tion; Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the portion of the joint adjacent the receptacle; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional View, taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 5;` and Figure l5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the re' mainder of the joint not showxfin Figure 2.

Referring to the embodiment of the' invention shown in the drawing, I0 represents the end wall of a revolving receptacle such as a laundry drum. The drum is provided with an axial support and means for rotating it on said support. This support and rotating means may be of conventional type and are not shown in the drawings.

In the center of the end wall the drum is provided with an opening II into which is threaded a joint member I 2, comprising casing or end members I3 and I4, ball member I5, and an annular member or gasket4 I6. As shown, the casing member I3, which is adapted to be attached to the drum, has a central hollow boss or projection Il which is threaded into a central opening II in the end wall of the drum IU; and the two casing members are fastened together by a plurality of threaded bolts I8. The ball member, which has an outer surface comprising substantially the central segment of a sphere, is threaded onto the end of a conduit section I9, and the bores of the casing member .Ill and gasket I6 slope upwardly more or less complementary to the curve of the ball member, so that this member has a line contact with each as the bolts I8 are tightened. It will be noted that the openings in the member I4 through which the bolts I8 extend are of greater diameter than the bolts, so as to permit ready attachment of the members I3 and I4 even through the bore of the conduit section I9 is out of alignment with the opening in the drum I0. The ball member I 5 is angularly adjustable and will compensate for any slight olf center position or angular misalignment of the opening II in the drum. Should this opening not be in the exact center of the wall I2, the ball member will move toa position where the bore of the pipe IS and the axis of the drum Ill are aligned when the bolts I8 are tightened. Because of the universal angular movement of the ball, angular misalignments of the bore and drum axis are compensated for; and because of the large holes in the member I4 the bolts may be drawn up with the bore of the pipe I9 in perfect alignment with the drum axis to compensate for transverse variation or misalignments. In such case, the member I 6 will be moved by the ball member as the parts are assembled and the ,l casing members are laterally displaced so as to leave the pipe I9 in proper position, i. e. in perfect'alignment with the axis of the receptacle, even though -the hole II and fitting may be slightly out of angular alignment, or not coincide; with such axis. Y

vRei'erringftdFigure 5, the conduit section I9 extends into a joint part or member 2G which is bolted to a tting, or terminalconduit part, 2|. having outlets 22 and 23 into which are threaded an inlet pipe, as a steam pipe 24, and an outlet or siphon pipe 25, respectively. The-opening 22? communicates with a passageway 26 leading to the bore of the member 20, then to the bore of the pipe or conduit section I9 and to the interior of the drum through the joint I2. The opening 23 communicates with a pipe 21, threaded into an opening 28 in the fitting 2|, and which passes through the pipe section I9 and extends into the drum I where it is bent and terminates at a point adjacent the drum bottom.

The tting or terminal-part 2l isalso provided with radial, threaded openings to receive bolts 29 which extend through openings in the anged end 3G of the joint part or member 2i), and in a gasket between the two parts, the openings' in f.

the last mentioned members being of considerably greater diameter than the bolt Shanks; so as-to facilitate alignment of the members 2,0 and4 2l.

The joint member or portion 2B is the outer or casing member of the revolving joint andati its;

right end (as viewed mythe drawings) is formed withl any enlarged v bore, providing.` achamber` for.v a ball bearing assembly 3 I. The outer/sident this end.issthreadedy to receive-a cap 325;V Thepipe or conduit' section I9 provides the inner andarea volvingv joint-y memberl or element. and is formed with. a.flange 33'providing 'a stop meansfior4 one end otthe'ballbearing assembly, the-'otherfend ofl which is held in position by a washery 36 threaded:- on the'membert I9.. A sealing washer-35* is profvidedinthecap adjacentxitsend and a gasket 3,6.-of soit` material (metal,k ber, rubberfor. the like)l is'placedaround the pipe I 9 and betweenA ther'bearingal andloclc washer 34.

The. other endeof the joint portion 29y is providedwith a pluraiityfof. chevron gaskets-3;? which surround the pipe section I!)V and are pressed againstaninternal ange 38 on the member 2li by a.spring 39; the other end of which` bears against the end of themember 2l;

In, assembling the members` 29 and2i, if it' 'i were not for my adjustable: feature, it. would be necessaryto so thread thepipes' 24- and-25 into the member -2I thatthe fright end ofthe chamber: 26.*is exactly. alignedwith thevpipel 9. andv-thepipe I9.. maintained in an exactlyy horizontal plane; This is, verv-diicult to de,` becauseoi theplurality of ycouplingsto --be made: Even whenvthe partsare= of substantially perfect construction', the. partsmight .be outotalignment becauser one or. another: of the pipes` was not threaded exactly' right. Ithas been found, however, thatlbywmaking the openingslinthe member Ztl-of considerably' greater Vdiameter thantheA bolts 2li-fthetwopartsi 21)..and: 2 l may be quickly` and I easily assembled andthe factthat the -centersof.4 the, members` 253' and. 2 tare slightly out-of alignment is unimportant, just-S0 they; are parallel Inoperation of a=joint-o thischaracter with asteamdrum,` for example, the member. I2and the pipe I-irotate and steam entersfthereoeptacle through the: pipe 2t and thefparts with which it.l communicates.. As the' steam; con-` densesfinto water, it falls. to the, bottom of thereceptacle and is; Withdrawn. therefrom .v through the pipe 21; The devicedisclosed may, however; b.e'used,-with otherv devices, or its. sections may be used separately in deviceswhere.- both. are not; needed., Y

While I have shown and describedLzcerta-in enrbodimentsof my invention, it is kto be understood that it is capable of many modications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made withouty departing from the.` spirit and, scope -oi the invention as disclosed. in` the; appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a revolving joint having members one of which is adapted to revolve about a certain axis and the other of which is adapted to be connected to a stationary element, apparatus comprising: a joint portion adapted to be attached to said stationary element and provided with a flat surface; another joint portion adapted to rotatably receive said revolving member and provided: witha flatisurface in part complementary to the at surface on the rst portion; bolt means having threaded Shanks for fastening the portions together; and openings in said at surfaces for receiving said bolt means, the opening in one surface being adapted threadingly to receive thebolt and the opening in the other surfacebeingoi ,greater diameter than the diameter of the bolt shank.

2. A: revolving joint adapted to connect an element revolving on a certain axis to a fluid conduitelement having a terminal part adjacent said, axis, comprising: a` first joint. portion adapted, toV be connected to said revolving ele.- ment; a second joint portionadapted to be connected-A totheqterminal part of said conduit element; casing` members for each of said joint portions with the casing member of-saidsecond joint portion, having a hollowed outsectionfacing the4 casing member on the rst joint portionand approximately concentric with said terminal part, saidhollowed out section having anv outer diametergreater than its inner diameter to pro,- vde. aiunneleshaped surface; a ball member in saidihollowedout section and attachedto said terminal. part, with a portion Aof the ball member b einglocated ,betweensaid casing members ;v and bolt receiving means in said casing members to draw the joint portions together with a ballv member therebetween, one of said bolt receiving means having an opening adapted snugly to receivesaid bolt and the other having anopeninglarger than said bolt.

3. A. revolving joint adapted to connect.' anv elementv revolvingA on a certain axis to a iiuid conduit elementA having a terminal part adjacent said axis, comprising; a first joint portion adapted' to be connected to said revolving element. asecond joint portion adapted to be con'- nected to the terminal part of said conduit ele'- ment; casing` members for each of said joint portions with the casing member of said second joint portion having a hollowed out section facing the casing member on the rst jointportionandapproximately concentric with said terminal part, said hollowed out section having an outer diameter greater than its inner diameter to provide` a funnel-shaped surface; a ball member-in said hollowed out section and attached to saidv terminalpart, with a portion of the ball member beinglocated between said casing membe1's; a gasketI between the ball member and said iirs'tl joint portion; and bolt receiving means in said casing members to` draw the joint portions to gether with the ball. member therebetween-,one` of said'bolt receiving meanshaving an opening adapted-snugly'to'receive saidboltand the other; having an;v opening larger; than `Saldi bolt.

4.A.revolving ljoint structure adapted -toi con;\ nectlan elementirevolvingv onxa certain axis to: a stationary-element through a fluid conduit element` having. a, terminal, part adjacent said axis, comprising: a-rst joint .portion adaptedto be,connected-tasaid.revolving element; a second. joint-1. portion; adapted:v to b e connected to the terminal.- part. of,l said.- conduit element; casing members for each of said joint portions with the casing member of said second joint portion having a hollowed out section facing the casing member on the rst joint portion and approximately concentric with said terminal part, said hollowed out section having an outer diameter greater than its inner diameter to provide a funnelshaped surface; a ball member in said hollowed out section and attached to said terminal part, with a portion of the ball member being located between said casing members; a gasket between the ball member and said first joint portion; bolt receiving means in said casing members to draw the joint portions together with the ball member therebetween, one of said bolt receiving means having an opening adapted threadingly to receive said bolt and the other having an opening larger than said bolt; a third joint portion adapted to be attached to said stationary element and provided with an outwardly-extending ange; a fourth joint portion adapted rotatably to receive the end of said fluid REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,733,457 Hannahs Oct. 29, 1929 1,872,665 Brownell Aug. 23, 1932 2,385,421 Monroe Sept. 25, 1945 

